2016 Queen Elizabeth Stakes the Target for Winx

January 15th, 2016

Star mare Winx has been confirmed to contest a Rosehill Gardens barrier trial on Tuesday morning as she continues to gear up for an Autumn Carnival campaign geared towards an appearance in the 2016 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1200m) on Day 2 of The Championships.

Winx was undoubtedly the standout performer of the recent 2015 Spring Carnival; returning for success in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) before progressing to consecutive wins in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

Majority owner Peter Tighe told Radio TAB that Winx has taken a great deal of benefit from her time in the paddock but a first competitive point of call for the four-year-old is yet to be decided.

“She went out for a spell and she quite enjoyed her time out,” Tighe said.

“She has furnished quite nicely, we visited her at the farm a couple of weeks ago and she really enjoyed her spell and she looks great.

“She is now back in the stable and if my information is right she will be trialing on Tuesday.

“I would say she will have just one easy one and another more serious one after that.

“I am sure that Chris will have it all sorted out.

“He hasn’t finalized her program yet and he wants to just see how she comes back in the trial and then he will mark out a serious of races for her – I think it will be three or four heading into the Queen Elizabeth.”

Winx’s dominant win over an international field in the Cox Plate led to consideration of trips to Hong Kong and Royal Ascot, but Tighe confirmed she will remain in Australia in 2016 with a defence of her Cox Plate crown in spring her major goal.

“We have being invited – we got invitations to go to Japan just after she won the Cox Plate,” Tighe said.

“We were hoping that we would win the Cox Plate, but you are not sure planning forward.

“The only thing that Chris was certain of was that she would spell.

“This 12 months I think the other owners are in agreeance that we don’t go overseas and we race her in Australia.

“We culminate in racing her in the Cox Plate again at the end of the year.

“That is a long way off and we are happy to get this preparation up and going and see where she is at.”

Winx has posted an impressive nine wins and three minors through her fifteen career starts so far, highlighted by four at the highest level.

Ladbrokes.com.au is currently offering the best early 2016 Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds, for which Winx can be taken at a quote of $5 for success.